Three Points: Nothing like preseason in January
By Vince Marotta
The biggest topic of discussion in the NFL right now isnt about whos going to the playoffs, and whos going home. It isnt about Brett Favre or Drew Brees or Peyton Manning.
Its about teams who have clinched postseason spots, and how they attack their remaining games. On Sunday we saw several playoff-bound teams, New Orleans, Indianapolis, New England and yes, the Arizona Cardinals rest a good portion of their normal lineups and basically treat week 17 like a preseason game.
The problem on Sunday for the Cardinals, was that their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, didntat least until the game was in hand. Aaron Rodgers threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, and ran for another, while the Packers defense forced three Cardinal turnovers in a 33-7 cakewalk at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
For the Cardinals, Kurt Warner played one quarter, completing 4 of 6 passes for 31 yards before picking up a baseball cap and watching Matt Leinart and Brian St. Pierre play the rest of the game. Most of the Cardinals defense looked as though they took the day off as well (even when they were out there).
With the Minnesota Vikings starting the day by absolutely crushing the New York Giants, we knew going in to Sundays game that the Cardinals would be going at half-speed at most. But still, its hard to watch a team get beaten by 26 points against the team theyll be playing again in the playoffs in a week, and feel good about it.
Making matters worse, NBC Football Night in America analyst Tony Dungy says the Cardinals are at an advantage by not showing their hand while Green Bay played to winand were all aware of Dungys track record in this area. But if youre not, please refer back to playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts on January 15, 2006.
Normally after a game, Ill share six things that stood out for me. But since the Cardinals only gave half effort on Sunday (and Im giving them the benefit of the doubt here), Im only giving half effort as well.
1
Its time to find Warners replacement. The Arizona Cardinals chances to repeat as NFC Champions rest squarely on the shoulders of one Kurt Warner. But he is not the quarterback of the future for this team. Warner inked a 2-year deal before this season, meaning hell be 39 when the contract expires after the 2010 season. Can anyone see the Cards re-signing a 40-year old quarterback before the 2011 season? Probably not. Which brings me to my next point.
And after years of defending Matt Leinart, Im done. The Arizona Cardinals need to draft their quarterback of the future in April or find him through a trade or free agency. I hate to be blunt, but Leinart isnt any good. The fourth year quarterback completed 13 of 21 passes for 96 yards and 2 interceptions. In fact, two of his first five throws were picked off, one of those was a touchdown by Charles Woodson. Leinart looked more comfortable under center as rookie on a 5-win team in 2006 than he does as a veteran backup on a Super Bowl-contending team in 2009. The Arizona career of Matt Leinart should be done after this postseason. If he catches on somewhere else and becomes the huge star that most predicted he would become, so be it. Its never going to happen in the desert.
And dont say Brian St. Pierre is the answer either. BSP is in his 7th year as a pro, and completed his first pass in the NFL on Sunday.
2
Cheesehead confidence - Regardless of what Tony Dungy says, it remains to be seen which team actually has the mental advantage going into next weekends Wild Card round game. But the Packers confidence level about playing at University of Phoenix Stadium has to be sky high.
Back in August, the Packers came to town for a preseason tilt with the Cardinals, and the Green Bay starters absolutely dominated the Cardinals first stringers in a 44-37 win. The Packers had a 38-10 lead at the break. And then today, the Packers dominated again, although the game had a lot of the same atmosphere as that game back in August.
Its very rare that any team will play three road games in the same stadium in the course of one NFL season. And if what weve seen so far this year is any indication, the Packers enjoy Glendale. Especially quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who in his two trips to the big spaceship in the desert, has completed 35 of 45 passes for 493 yards and 4 touchdowns. Thats a quarterback rating of 141.94. Rodgers has been pretty successful in 2009, as evidenced by his recent selection to the Pro Bowl, but its pretty obvious he really enjoys Glendale.
3
It wasnt all reserves making mistakes. Yes, there were reserves all over the field, including guys like Hamzah Abdullah (who led the Cardinals in tackles) and Jason Banks, who had spent the entire season on the practice squad. But there were plenty of concerning mistakes made by veteran starters too. Steve Breastons catch of a punt at his own 1-yard line led to a safety after a holding penalty in the end zone was called on left guard Reggie Wells.
The most valuable quality a punt returner can have is the ability to catch the football. Breaston has had trouble in that area recently. Add that to his mental error on Sunday and the fact that he is averaging under 2 yards per return in his last 4 games, and there should be big reason for concern in that area.